Candle and Wick Extinguisher Using the Effect of Air Pressure

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a candle extinguisher, characterized by an elongated base body having an integrated cylinder in which a burst of air pressure is produced with a piston, the piston being tensioned and triggered with an actuation lever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a candle and wick extinguisher using the effect of air pressure.

STATE-OF-THE-ART

Candles and other flames from a wick are generally extinguished by being blown out.

Extinguishers are known which have a bell and which suffocate the flame or molded wax article, thereby extinguishing the candle.

Also known are lids which are preferably placed over tea candle holders to suffocate the flame.

The disadvantages of the aforementioned methods are:

Blowing the flames out by mouth has limits due to the distances and the ensuing required unfavorable body posture and the positions of the candles or oil lanterns.

The bells are unsuitable for tea lights

The cover lids are only suitable for tea lights in containers and have limited applicability due to the diversity of the containers.

The molded wax articles are time-consuming to handle, are not contemporary and are not suitable for all applications (unfavorable positioning of the candles).

All these systems have one disadvantage in common: they do not take into consideration that the new stick lighters (also with flexible stick) make positions for candles achievable which cannot be reached with conventional lighters at all or only with great difficulty.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for extinguishing candles or wick flames, with which wick flames can be easily and reliably extinguished.

This object is attained according to the invention with a device having the features of claim 1.

Preferred embodiment and additional advantages of the invention are recited in the dependent claim, with particular reference being made here to their disclosure.

With the invention of the candle and wick extinguisher using the effect of air puffs, the aforementioned disadvantages can be obviates and the candles and other wick flames can be extinguished at any location by moving a finger, wherein wax splatter is avoided with the rapid burst of pressure due to the high viscosity of the wax.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention, hereinafter referred to as candle extinguisher, will be described in FIGS. 1 to 5.

These show in

FIG. 1 the candle extinguisher with an internal retractor and internal springs,

FIG. 2 the candle extinguisher with an external retractor and an external return spring,

FIG. 3 the candle extinguisher with an external retractor and a separate return spring,

FIG. 4 another embodiment of the candle extinguisher with an actuator integrated in the housing, and

FIG. 5 a version with the same tensioning and release function, modified as a toy slingshot with repeat function, for shooting arrows or balls and the like, also with a cartridge.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1

shows the candle extinguisher having a longitudinal, ergonomically formed hand piece 1 with an integrated cylinder 16, in which an burst of air pressure is generated with a piston 2 and also a piston ring 3, 303. The piston 2 is movably arranged in the cylinder 16 and includes a piston rod 8 guided in the hand piece 1.

The cylinder 16 terminates on one side in a preferably conical nozzle which can also be formed as an annular nozzle 4 or a screen nozzle 20.

In the starting position, the piston 2 is located on the front end of the cylinder 16 facing the nozzle. The piston 2 is tensioned against a spring 10 by an axially magnetized holding magnet 5 which is fixedly installed on the piston 2, and a iron retractor 6. The spring 10 is located on a locating pin. The iron retractor 6 is retracted with an actuating lever 11. The magnet 5 adheres on the iron retractor 6 which carries along the magnet 5 and the piston 2 connected thereto. The iron retractor 6 can also be constructed in form of a ring 17 which is placed on a nonmagnetic molded part.

When the piston 2 is tensioned, the piston 2 together with the piston rod 8 moves to the right towards the handle of the hand piece 1. An adjustable limit stop 9, which the piston rod 8 strikes, is arranged in the handle of the hand piece 1. The magnet 5 is thereby abruptly released from the iron retractor 6 and thrust forward by the spring 7. The air residing in the cylinder 16 is abruptly compressed by the piston 2, causing a burst of pressure to exit the nozzle 14. The iron retractor 6 is then again automatically pressed forward into its starting position by an additional spring 7 and again rests against the magnet 5, so that the process can be repeated. The apparatus therefore operates with a repeating function.

The actuating lever 11 moves in a slit 12 in the cylinder and is operated in the same manner as a pistol.

The time of the release and hence the capacity of the candle extinguisher can be adapted to the individual requirements with the adjustable limit stop 9.

Angling of the nozzle 14 enables comfortable handling with tea lights. A full set of possible applications can be attained with extension adapters 15, which may be angled, bent or flexible.

A rubber ring 13 and/or a spring 19, 319 dampen the piston 2 at the end position during impact. The spring 19 also pushes the piston 2 back slightly, so that the magnet arrives at the retractor earlier, which shortens the travel of the actuating lever.

The optional annular nozzle 4 or screen nozzle 20 compresses the exiting air and increases the capacity and the accuracy due to the possible larger diameter of the nozzle.

FIG. 2

In this embodiment, an oppositely poled magnet 101 is employed and is moved inside the tube in the axial direction with an iron ring slider 102, which slides over the outside of the tube.

The actuating lever 103 is located on the ring slider.

The return spring 104 operates directly on the outside over the piston tube.

Axially guiding is achieved with a nut and spring system 105.

The ring slider 102 and the return spring 104 may operate below a cover 106.

FIG. 3

In this embodiment, the return spring 21 operates separately, wherein the push rod 22 is attached on the ring slider 102.

FIG. 4

This Figure shows an embodiment of the invention which is modified from FIG. 1. Identical elements or elements having an identical function are labeled with the same reference symbols as in FIG. 1, unless otherwise noted. Compared to FIG. 1, the value 300 is added to each reference symbol.

In this version, the actuating mechanism is integrated in the hand piece 31 (housing). The trigger is constructed as a finger opening 311 in the housing 301. The iron retractor 306 is moved by retracting the trigger with the finger. The magnet 305 is carried along by the iron retractor 306. Consequently, the piston assembly 308 consisting of the piston rod 302, the piston ring 303, the magnet 305, the damping ring 350, are tensioned against the spring 307. A release cam 351 arranged on the piston rod 302 then strikes a partition 352 which is fixedly arranged in the hand piece 301. The release cam is formed, for example, by flat portions disposed on the piston rod 302. As a result, the magnet 305 is abruptly detached from the iron retractor 306, with the force from the spring 310 thrusting the piston assembly 308 forward in a cylinder 316. The air in the cylinder 316 is compressed and thereby generates an burst of air pressure which exits the nozzle 314. The damping spring 319 has a conical structure and can therefore be compressed down to the thickness of the spring wire. This lengthens the travel of the piston assembly 308 and increases of the pressure capacity.

The angle of the nozzle 314 can be continuously adjusted through axial rotation. The limit stop 353 prevents further pullback of the trigger 311 after release.

FIG. 5

Shows a version with the same tensioning and release function as FIG. 4, modified here as a toy repetition slingshot for shooting arrows, balls and the like, optionally also with a cartridge.

With the push rod 403 optionally attached on the piston 402, which shoots forward in the barrel 404 employing the disclosed mechanism, arrows 403 or balls and the like can be shot with the repeat function in rapid succession, wherein the ammunition 405 residing in the cartridge 404 slides down or is pressed on with a spring.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1, 301 Hand piece -   2, 302 Piston rod -   3, 303 Piston ring -   4, 314 Ring nozzle -   5, 305 Magnet -   6, 306 Iron retractor -   7, 307 Spring -   8, 308 Piston assembly -   10, 310 Spring (rear) -   11, 311 Actuating lever -   12 Slit -   13 Rubber ring -   14, 314 Nozzle -   15 Extension -   16, 316 Cylinder -   19, 319 Spring -   350 Damping ring -   351 Trigger cam -   352 Partition -   353 Limit stop -   454 Flat region 

1. Candle extinguisher, characterized by an elongated base body (1, 310) with integrated cylinder (16, 316), in which an burst of air pressure is generated with a piston (2) or a piston assembly (308), wherein the piston is tensioned and released with an actuating lever (11, 311).
 2. Candle extinguisher according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston (2) is tensioned against a spring (7, 307) by way of a magnet (5, 305) with a retractor (6, 306) made of iron, on which an actuating lever (11, 311) is attached, and abruptly released from the magnet at a limit stop (9, 351) and thrust into the opposite direction.
 3. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylinder (316) is constructed as a separate tube which is inserted in the base body (310).
 4. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that instead of the piston (2) or the piston assembly (308) a rubber or plastic molded part is used, which also seals against the cylinder wall.
 5. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (2) or the piston assembly (308) is coupled with an axially magnetized holding magnet (5, 305).
 6. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the candle extinguisher comprises an iron retractor (6, 306) for moving the magnet (5, 305) and the piston (2) or the piston assembly (308) in the cylinder (16, 316).
 7. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the iron retractor (6, 306) is constructed as a ring which is seated on a plastic part or on another nonmagnetic material.
 8. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston-magnet assembly is connected with a piston rod (8; 302).
 9. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tension spring (7, 307) is disposed on the piston rod (8; 302).
 10. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an adjustable limit stop (9) which is axially adjustable in the direction of the piston travel is disposed in the hand piece (1).
 11. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston rod (302) comprises a release cam (351) which strikes against the partition (352) fixedly integrated in the hand piece (301) and releases the magnet (305) from the iron retractor (306).
 12. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an operating lever (11, 311) is attached on the iron retractor (6, 306).
 13. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a return spring (10, 310) for the piston-magnet-retractor assembly is inserted in the cylinder (16; 316), which moves the iron retractor forward towards the magnet.
 14. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylinder (16, 316) terminates in a nozzle.
 15. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nozzle forms a projection (18), on which extensions (15) can be attached.
 16. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a damping ring (13, 350) made from an elastic material or a damping spring and return spring (19, 319) are located in the cylinder (16, 316).
 17. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magnet is formed as a piston (2).
 18. Candle extinguisher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that instead of the springs and the piston an internal rubber or plastic molded part is used, which is tensioned by the magnet and produces the burst of air during abrupt release from the magnet. 